Micro-electromechanical apparatus with pivot element

• US 10,132,877 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Su, Chung-Yuan, Huang, Chao-Ta, Chiu, Sheng-Ren
• Primary Examiner(s): Surin, J M Saint
• Application Number:
  US14/576,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20150308830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 73495
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5712 the devices involving a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/02 Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux G01R33/20 takes precedence

Abstract

A micro-electromechanical apparatus may include a substrate, a first frame, a plurality of first anchors, a region and a plurality of pivot elements. The plurality of first anchors and the region is disposed on the substrate. The region is surrounded by the plurality of first anchors. Each of the pivot elements includes a pivot end and a rotary end. Each of the pivot ends is connected to a corresponding first anchor and each of the rotary ends is connected to the first frame such that the first frame is able to rotate with respect to an axis passing the region. The micro-electromechanical apparatus having the pivot elements and the region is adapted for detecting multi-degree physical quantities such as angular velocities in at least two axes, angular velocities and accelerations, angular velocities and Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

Claims

1. A micro-electromechanical apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of first anchors disposed on the substrate;

a plurality of pivot elements, wherein each of the pivot elements comprises a pivot end and a rotary end;

a region disposed on the substrate and surrounded by the plurality of first anchors; and

a first frame;

wherein the plurality of first anchors and the plurality of pivot elements are surrounded by the first frame, each of the pivot ends is connected to a corresponding one of the first anchors and each of the rotary ends is connected to the first frame such that the first frame is configured to rotate with respect to an axis passing through the region, and a distance between each of the pivot ends and the axis is equal to a constant.

2. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 1, wherein a width of the pivot end is less than a width of the rotary end.

3. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, wherein no anchor is disposed in the region where the axis passes through.

4. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, wherein a distance between the pivot end and an adjacent pivot end is the same as that between the pivot end and another adjacent pivot end.

5. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of pivot elements has the same length.

6. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one spring, wherein each of the pivot ends is connected to a corresponding one of the first anchors via the at least one spring.

7. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one spring includes two folded springs which are perpendicular to each other, and the two folded springs are both connected to the same pivot end and the same corresponding one of the first anchors.

8. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, wherein a distance between the pivot end and an adjacent pivot end is not the same as that between the pivot end and another adjacent pivot end.

9. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensor disposed within the region.

10. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of second anchors disposed on the substrate, wherein each of the second anchors is connected to the first anchors to form a ring anchor.

11. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

an accelerometer connected to the ring anchor via a spring.

12. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a magnetometer connected to the ring anchor via a spring.

13. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a second frame surrounding the first frame; and

a plurality of connectors respectively connected to the first frame and the second frame.

14. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate and disposed between the first a e and the second frame.

15. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one first support; and

at least one second support, wherein the at least one first support and the at least one second support are connected to a corresponding one of the pivot elements symmetrically.

16. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one first support and the at least one second support are perpendicular to each other.

17. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of unbalance masses, wherein each of the unbalance masses is disposed between the region and the first frame, and each of the unbalance masses has a concave portion facing the axis.

18. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of first springs, wherein at least one of the unbalance masses is a first mass, and each of the first springs is connected to the first frame and a corresponding one of the first masses along a direction parallel to a Y-axis.

19. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of second springs, wherein at least one of the unbalance masses is a second mass, and each of the second springs is connected to the first frame and a corresponding one of the second masses along a direction parallel to an X-axis.

20. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first spring or the second spring is a torsion beam.

21. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of third masses, wherein each of the third masses is disposed between the region and the first frame, and a portion of the third mass is surrounded by the concave portion of a corresponding one of the unbalance masses.

22. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

at least one third frame; and

a plurality of third springs respectively connected to the third masses and the third frame;

wherein the at least one first support and the at least one second support is connected to the at least one third frame, and the third masses are disposed within the third frame.

23. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 21, wherein each of the third masses is a frame.

24. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one first support; and

at least one second support, wherein the at least one first support and the at least one second support are connected to a corresponding one of the pivot elements symmetrically.

25. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 24, wherein a distance between the pivot end and an adjacent pivot end is the same as that between the pivot end and another adjacent pivot end.

26. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of pivot elements has the same length.

27. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one spring, wherein each of the pivot ends is connected to a corresponding one of the first anchors via the at least one spring.

28. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one first support and the at least one second support are perpendicular to each other.

29. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

a plurality of unbalance masses disposed between the region and the first frame, wherein each of the unbalance masses has a concave portion facing the axis.

30. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a plurality of first springs, wherein at least one of the unbalance masses is a first mass, and each of the first springs is connected to the first frame and a corresponding one of the first masses along a direction parallel to a Y-axis.

31. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

a plurality of second springs, wherein at least one of the unbalance masses is a second mass, and each of the second springs is connected to the first frame and a corresponding one of the second masses along a direction parallel to an X-axis.

32. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a third mass disposed between the region and the first frame, wherein a portion of the third mass is surrounded by the concave portion of the unbalance mass.

33. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of unbalance masses disposed between the region and the first frame, wherein each of the unbalance mass has a concave portion facing the axis.

34. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 33, wherein a distance between the pivot end and an adjacent pivot end is the same as that between the pivot end and another adjacent pivot end.

35. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 33, wherein each of the plurality of pivot elements has the same length.

36. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

at least one spring, wherein each of the pivot ends is connected to a corresponding one of the first anchors via the at least one spring.

37. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

a plurality of first springs, wherein at least one of the unbalance masses is a first mass, and each of the first springs is connected to the first frame and a corresponding one of the first masses along a direction parallel to a Y-axis.

38. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

a plurality of second springs, wherein at least one of the unbalance masses is a second mass, and each of the second springs is connected to the first frame and a corresponding one of the second masses along a direction parallel to an X-axis.

39. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

a third mass disposed between the region and the first frame, wherein a portion of the third mass is surrounded by the concave portion of the unbalance masses.

40. The micro-electromechanical apparatus of claim 33, wherein a width of the pivot end of each of the pivot elements is less than a width of the rotary end of each of the pivot elements.